Sunday, December 5, 2010

Feathered Christmas Trees, Glittered Ornaments, Green Wreaths- Oh My!

Is it just me or are Christmas tree lots one of the most depressing sights of the holiday season? All of those innocent trees, drying out in the cold winter air. I can't help but think of how many won't fulfill their purpose of bringing holiday cheer and will instead be turned into mulch. I also think of all the gasoline that was used to haul them from where they were grown- way up North- to that lot in front of my local Wal-Mart. If I'm not a fan of tree lots, I must like artificial trees. Not a chance. With their perfectly formed branches and pre-strung lights, they have very little character. Not to mention artificial trees take a gajillion years to decompose in a landfill. YUK!

I'm actually a fan of Christmas tree farms. I love walking through rows of trees. Picking out that 'perfect' tree and cutting it down makes me appreciate it that much more. Plus, all of the trees that don't get chosen at the Christmas tree farm get to live through the winter to continue being part of an eco-system. Think of all the birds that will build nests in their branches? To be honest, we aren't even putting up a tree this year. It's a combination of a. it costs money, b. the dog's would tip it over multiple times a day and eat the ornaments, and c. no kids would be around to enjoy it. But if we were to get a tree, we would scout it out and cut it down ourselves.

While I haven't gotten a tree, I have put up all of our Christmas decor- two Santas, a candle holder, and five ornaments. As an avid garage saler, I have over the years literally seen a TON of Christmas crap for sale in people's garages, on their front lawns, and in the gyms of various churches. There is so much Christmas decor out there for sale on the cheap. The majority of it is tacky, but some of it is cute. Thus, I made an oath to myself and to the environment a that I wouldn't buy a single item of Christmas decor new- ever. I did this is a. to save money and b. to keep junk out of landfills (not to mention all of the pollution caused by manufacturing!). I'm happy to say- I've been true to my oath. Sure, all of the shiny, sparkly, trendy decorations at Marshalls and Target are tempting, but their true 'cost' is not worth it to me. And that's how I keep holiday decor cheap and eco-friendly!

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